Process of separating metallic sheets.



W. R. KINNEAR. PROCESS OF SEPARATING METALLIC SHEETS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1910.

Patented Jan 27, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHBBT 1.

EEEEIQfi M #1 m 6 u H a W. R. KINNEAR.

PROOE$S 0F SEPARATING METALLIC SHEETS.

APPLICATION IILED MAY 24. 1910.

1,085,270. Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

MN iwcooco TTNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. KINNEAR, OF NEW CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF SEPARATING METALLIC SHEETS.

Application filed May 24. 1910.

I}; u// whom it may com-cm Be it known that I, \Vnmint R. Kixxnxn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New Castle, in the county of Lawrence, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Process of Separating Metallic Sheets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a method of procedure whereby thin metallic sheets that have been caused to adhere, as the result of some process to which they have been subjccted may be readily and expeditiously separated or their adhesion destroyed so that they may thereafter be handled or further treated.

In the manufacture of thin metallic sheets. and especially at that stage of manufacture at which the sheets are annealed in bulk, the sheets generally emerge from the annealing receptacle in a condition of more or less adhesion, which necessitates forcible separation. In most cases. the degree of adhesion is such as to necessitate the application of percussion as by a heavy hammer or otherwise until separation is started at an intermediate place in the sheets after which. each sheet is grasped separately. and while the remainder of the pile is held down, the sheet is stripped off. In some instances the adhesion is so great that the use of tongs resorted to for removing the sheets.

My invention aims to provide a method by which these sheets may be taken as they come from the annealing receptacle, whether in a condition of slight or extremeadhesion and to economically and expeditiously separate them without injury to the sheets.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated an apparatus suitable for carrying out the present invention and wherein Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the apparatus complete; Fig. 2, a top plan view thereof: Fig. 3. an elevation of part of the machine partly in section; Fig. 1 is a detail view showing the feeding mecha nism; Fig. 5 is a part of Fig. 3 in larger scale and Fig. (3, a detail view of the compressor plate.

Referring now to the details of structure of the machine, and with like characters of reference indicating corresponding parts in the several views shown, 11 designates the machine supporting means which comprises Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2'7, 1914.

Serial No. 563,211.

l'our verti'ally disposed screw threaded shafts suitably mounted to rotate in the base of bearing blocks, and at their upper ends they are connected by a skeleton frame 2. The machine frame 3 is in screw threaded connection with the shafts 1 through the medium of four integrally formed nut-s (see Fig. 1). At their upper ends each of the several shafts 1 is provided with a sprocket wheel 5 which is fixed thereon; and one of said shafts is additionally provided with a loosely mounted gear wheel 6 adapted to be coupled with said shaft through the medium of a clutch 7 that is splined thereon, and which coupling is effected through the medium of a controlling lever S journaled in the frame 2' at 9.

The means for rotating the several shafts comprises an electric motor 10 supported upon a shelf 11 on the frame, and which motor normally drives a shaft 12 which, through the medium of a clutch 13, rotates a worm 11 that is normally in mesh with the gear wheel 6 and which transmits movements thereto as will be obvious, (see Figs. 1. 2 and 4:). For rotating the several shafts 1 in unison their sprocket wheels 5 are connected by a chain 157 Any slack in the chain is compensated for by the take-up 15; and said chain and sprockets 5 are held against freedom of movement by the friction brake 1(3'.

The motor 10 is designed to be constantly operated, and in order to transmit its power to cause the rotation of the shafts 1, and control the consequent downward movement of the frame 3 which occurs through gravity. there is provided an automatic means tnierable intermittently and through the re ciprocating movement of one of the sheet separating knives. This means comprises an arm 16 fixed at one end to a stub shaft 17 and at its opposite end connected with one element of the clutch 137 The shaft 17 is journaled in a bearing 18 and at its lower end has a lixed short arm 19 that in turn connects with a bar 20. The bar 20 is pivotally mounted to an arm 21 that is fixed on a shaft 22 within a journal bearing 23 that is mounted on the frame 2. The shaft and in which position it lies normally the path of a double faced cam block 25, which block is mounted upon and reciprocates with one of the sheet separating knife carriers. It will be seen from the foregoing that as the separatin knife is reciprocated the cam faces of the block will alternately engage with and elevate the projecting lever 24, which movement through the several members described will cause said upward m movements of the arm 24 to couple and uncouple the clutch 13, thereby transmitting power from the motor to the several shafts 1, and causing the rotation of the latter for substantially brief periods, 11. 6., the rotation of these shafts will be suflicient to regulate the downward movement of the machine a distance sufiicient to compensate for the thickness of the sheet which has been removed, and properly position the separating knives for their next operation.

The means for actually separating the sheets of the pile A comprises one or two stripping knives, the present machine being shown to embody a pair of laterally and oppositely reciprocating plates or blades 26 and 27 which are mounted in carriages that slide within guideways 28 formed in the sides of the machine frame 3, (see Figs. 1 and 2). The separating blades are preferably pivotally mounted in their respective carriages, to effect which they are secured on the ledges of said carriages by means of screws and the supporting rails are in turn pivotally mounted. And to hold the blades in a parallel plane and also permit them to compensate for any irregularity in the strata of the sheets of the pile, they are held tensioned by leaf springs, which springs are adjustably secured to the plate carriages by bolts. Each of the plate supporting rails has a downwardly projecting portion adapted to cooperate with a similar member on a fixed bar, the purpose whereof will be present-ly explained. For reciprocating said plates there is provided a motor 29 upon a platform 30 on the frame 3. The shaft 31 of this motor is provided with a pinion 32 which, through a train gearing 33, 34, 35 and 36, operates a pair of crank arms 37. The crank arms 37 carry links 38 which connect with a stub shaft 39 carried by the knife carriage 40, and which project through their respective guideways 28, (see Fig. 1). A pair of stub shafts 39 carries rack bars 41 which mesh with pinions 42 that are loosely mounted on the shaft 43 which carries the pinion 36. The loosely rotating pinions 42 have also meshing therewith similar rack bars 44 which are carried by the guiding members 45 of the opposite blade carrying carriage, and which travel in the ways 28. For normally keeping the rack bars 41 and 44 always in mesh with the pinions 42, said rack bars are engaged and held in that re- 5 lat-ion by spools 46, as shown in Fig. 1.

From the description just given, it will be readily seen that the power of the motor transmitted through the train gearing 32-36 will, through the links 38, reciprocate the sheet separating blade 27, and that the movements of this blade will through the gearing 41, 42 and 44, cause its cooperating blade 26 to be operated simultaneously and in an opposite direction therewith.

It is devised that the topmost sheet of the pile A be gotten into position for receiving the blades 26 and 27 which effect its separation from said pile, and to accomplish this a pneumatic suction apparatus is utilized. This apparatus comprises a pump 47 (see Fig. 3), whose piston is operated through a pitman 48 that is eccentrically mounted on the shaft 49. Extending from the pump 47 are two flexible pipes 50 which lead to diametrically opposite corners of the stack of sheets A where they are connected with plungers 51. The plungers 51 are adapted to have slight vertical movement in sleeves 52 which support said plungers from the cross bar 53 of the machine frame to which they are connected by the arms 54. The means for giving movement to the plungers 51 comprises a pair of oppositely disposed lifting bars which are pivotally mounted on upwardly disposed arms 56 that are in turn secured upon the cross bar 53. The free ends of the lifting bars 55 are adapted to move within guideways 57 of the plungers 51, and intermediate of their pivots and free ends said bars span the shaft 49, and at these points said shaft 49 carries cams 58 whose function is to give to the bars 55, and consequently the plungers 51, their slight upward and downward movement, as above stated.

Each of the sleeves is provided with a presser foot 52 loosely mounted therein and whose upper end fits freely through a plate 53 carried by the plunger, where it is bent and rests upon said plate and by reason of which, and having the spring 54 tending to normally depress the same, said presser foot holds down that corner of the sheet immediately adjacent that portion where the suction nozzle 59 grips it. The hold down members 52' are so mounted that they continue for a brief period to depress the corners of the sheet while the plungers are lifting and thus present the second sheet. On the final upward movement of the plungers the presser feet are also lifted clear of the pile.

The suction apparatus just described is timed so that the nozzle 59 on the plungers 51 are brought into contact with the topmost suction is created the plungers 51 are moved upwardly through the medium of the cams 5S and the lifting arms 5.). Each of the nozzles 55) is connected with its respective plunger or tube 51 by a pivot pin (it) and a loose connection til disposed in such manner that in the upward movement of said plungcrs 51, the nozzles 59 assume an angular position and by doing so cause the portion of the sheet directly under them to be lifted prior to the adjacent portion thereof. The reason for this provision is to have the topmost sheet of the pile instantly prepared to receive the advanced edges of the separating plates 26 and 2T. As the corners of the sheets are tlexed in the manner stated, their respective diametrically opposite corners are at the same instant held in close contact with the pile by means of depressing lingers 59 mounted to have slight verti :al movement in arms that are supported by the cross bar 53 (see Fig. 5). Said depressing members .79 are connected at their upper ends with levers (31' which are in turn pivotally supported on the machine frame and as in the instance of the lifting arms 57 the arms til are adapted to be elevated and depressed alternately therewith by arms that are carried by the shaft l9.

the separating blades are advanced toward the pile. the blades are lifted slightly as they enter beneath the topmost sheet of 1e pile. and thus overcome the likelihood of e blades engaging under thesecond sheet uld the same for any reason incline to be ed upward with the sheet to be separated. The time "for this lifting of the blades 26 and "2T is so selected that llllllltidlfltkl a tter the blades have entered beneath said top sheet, they will drop to the level of the top of the pile.

Cooperating with the suction appa 'atns is a means for depressing or holding down the central portion of the sheet being separated in order to insure the separation ot only that sheet and also to maintain the proper symmetry of the pile. This in ans comprises a flexible presser plate (32 that is dependingly supported from a cross head (32 The plate 2 is suspended from the shaft 49 by hangers (33. and for bringing said plate into contact with the pile the cross head ()3 is provided with a shaft (56 that is hung from an cccentric bearing (ST also mounted on the shaft ll).

The tlexible plate 62 comprises four sections (32 which are coupled together by hinge joints (SS in such manner as will give them independent or separate movement relative to each other.

The depressing plate has its ope 'ative mechanism so timed that it is depressed during the lifting of the corners of the sheet by the suction appa 'atus but will itself be lifted clear of the pile at the proper movement: or at that instant when the separating knives lti and ET complete their inward movement.

As each sheet is separated after the man ner described it is removed from the pile by a pair of lingers 9 that are :arried by the blade ET. The tree ends T0 of said fingers are hooked so as to readily engage the rear edge of the sheet separated and withdraw the same with said blade ET on it return movement. hen the separated sheet has been thus removed from the pile. it is brought into 't'rictional engagement with a pair of rollers Tl that are mounted on a shaft 72. The shaft T2 is jonrnalcd in a pair of blocks T2 which have vertical movement in a pair of guideways T 1 upon the fame S. the friction disks Tl are normally kept in position to engage the sheet to be removed through the medium oi the springs H. The shatt T2 carrying the friction rollers is given rotary movement by a chain T 3 that is driven by the shut; l The strip ping rollers Tl thus cause the separated sheet to be removed from the machine on to a suitable 'arricr or otherwise.

It is desired to keep the stack of sheets .t in proper uniformity whereby the machine may work thereon, attcr cnce set. without necessitating any subsequent positioning or adjustment of the apparatus or stack of sheets. To this end. the machine is pro vided with a m ants that centers or positions the topmost portion ot the stack progressively as the traine I is lowered with the stack. This mechanism ccmprises a pair of presser plates Tl that are disposed on op posite sides ot the stack. as shown in hi i, 2. These plates T-l are designed to come into contact with the pile between those operations of the machine which remove the sheets. To etlect this operation each of the plates T t is carried b a head T-l that niovably supported on the b aring T5, and through links to is connected to the machine t'ame at TT. Each of the blade carriers is provided with a grooved track member To that travels with, said carriages and on each movement thereot causes tl e links To to be straightened or broken for bringing the blades Tt into engagement with the pile and removing the saute theretrom.

Primarily, my invention consists in l'orc ing a relatively thin separating wedge beneath each shoe and the pile, which liesv be- 11 *ath it. while the shcct is maintained under conditions which will prevent buckling. until the adhcsion has been overcome and the sheet may be readily removed. More specitically. the invention consists in forcing the wedge beneath the sheet and the remaini sheets oi the pile with its 'lorward cr wedging edge inclined to the direction at travel. whereby the wedge produces a shear ell'ect in its action and greatly lessens the liability kid to buckle the sheet; the sustaining force for the sheet beyond the line of separation, which prevents it buckling being preferably of such nature that a sheet is held down closely to the wedging blade so that the adhesion is overcome by pulling the sheet from the one beneath it always slightly in advance of the edge so that there is no abrasion or injury to the sheet. Preferably, this shearing effect is enhanced by having the forward wedging edge not only at an angle to the direction of travel but having it serrated or wavy in form so that the line of separation is never a straight line but there are always points or crests in the line of separation in ad vance of other portions of the line, which greatly facilitates the separation and reduces to a minimum the tendency to buckle.

Still more in detail, the invention consists in having the most advanced portion of the knife or wedge extend not fully to the edge of the sheet, where buckling would be favored by having the foremost portion encountering unevennesses in the edge, but said foremost portion or pilot end of the knife or wedge is slightly within the edge of the sheet and from it the knife or wedge tapers off rearwardly to the point where the edge of the sheet is encountered. This condition may exist whether the forward edge of the knife or wedge be wavy or serrated or straight, the serrations or waves on the edge are so disposed that a receding or re'elntrant portion occurs at the edge of the sheet on that end of the blade which travels in advance during the separation.

A further feature of the invention consists in taking advantage of certain conditions which are usually inherent in sheets that have been subjected to the annealing process as now carried out in the large mills in the country. As these sheets issue from the annealing process, the adhesion is found to occur over a greater part of the area but not extending to the corners, there being thus left certain restricted areas at the corners and extending a. greater or less distance along the edges where adhesion has not developed. This feature of my invention consists in utilizing these portions of the sheets for initial separation effected by mechanical means for the purpose of admitting the separating wedge and permitting it to start its operation. But even this initial separation, is carried on under conditions in which buckling of the sheet or bending up of the corner is prevented, for here well as in the main separation process, the portion of the sheet beyond the part, which is immediately effected by the separating means, is held down. This simultaneous lifting of a portion of the sl eet (preferably the corner) somewhat -within the extreme edge and the holding down of the sheet at the extreme edge produces a welling up or bowing of the sheet at a point at which the pilot end of the knife enters and thus the process of separation is initiated under conditions which insure the avoidance of buckling until complete separation has taken place.

After the sheet is free, it is displaced edgewise by any suitable means.

In practice, the separation is facilitated both as to time and certainty of operation by duplicating the knife or wedge on opposite sides of the pile to be attacked, the effect being best produced by having the separating edges parallel so that the pilot ends are near opposite lateral edges of the plates and having the knives move in opposite directions so that they come together at an intermediate position when the separation will be completed aft-er which the knives recede to a position where they are ready to attack another sheet and separate it as before.

The separating knife or wedge is thin enough to flex considerably during the separating stroke and thereby adapt it to conform to any buckled or uneven condition in the surface of the pile.

The means for sustaining the sheet being separated against the buckling is preferably in the form of plate or plates, which, during the separating stroke, is spaced above the pile a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of the knife plus the thickness of the sheet that is being lifted. Any other means, however might be employed for this purpose so long as it involves the principle of imposing pressure over a sufliciently large area of the separated sheet, commencing with a point relatively near the line of separation, to prevent buckling at that line or prevent the knife from raising above the stack sufficiently to bend the sheet being separated and form a crease.

The means for causing the initial separa tion first begins to act on the sheet while it lies symmetrically on the pile and these means are, therefore, preferably employed for continuing their hold upon the sheets until not only separation but engagement of the ren'ioving means has taken place in order to prevent a sheet becoming displaced laterally where adhesion is only slight and is overcome prior to the completion of the stroke of the knives.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The process of separating adhering metallic sheets, which consists in forcing a wedging device between the adjoining surfaces of the sheets to be separated, while the sheet is being sustained to prevent lateral displacement thereof.

2. The process of separating adhering metallic sheets, which consists in forcing between the adjoining surfaces of the sheets to be separated a wedging means, and simultaneously holding down the separated portion of the sheet in a plane substantially parallel with the original position of the sheet.

23. The process of separating adhering metallic sheets, which consists in raising a portion of the top sheet and forcing between the adjoining surfaces of the sheets to be separated a wedging means and simultaneously holding down the separated portion of the sheet in a plane substantially parallel with the original position of the sheet, and closely lying upon the wedging means.

4:. The process of separating adhering metallic sheets, which consists in forcing between the surface of the sheet to be separated and that to which it adheres, a wedging device having its forward edge presented at an acute angle to the direction in which it travels, while the sheet to be separated is being held from lateral displacement, said holding being continued until the separation has been completed.

5. The process of separating adhering metallic sheets which consists in raising a portion of the uppermost sheet and forcing a wedge between the sheet to be separated and the one to which it adheres, and causing the separating action to occur in an irregular line across the sheet, the advance point thereof lying within the side edges of the sheet.

(3. The process of separating adhering metallic sheets which consists in raising a portion of the uppermost sheet and forcing a wedge between the sheet to be separated and the one to which it adheres, and causing the initial separating action to occur at a point within the side edges of the sheet, and continuing the separating action in an irregular line across the sheet with the advance point thereof lying within the side edges of the sheet.

7. The process of separating adhering metallic sheets, which consists in forcing between the sheet to be separated and the one to which it adheres, two wedging devices attacking the sheet from opposite edges with their wedging edges disposed at an angle to the direction of their travel. and parallel to each other, whereby their pilot ends are located near opposite lateral edges of the sheet and the wedges are adapted to meet to complete the separation.

S. The process of separating adhering metallic sheets, which consists in preliminarily raising a portion of the sheet within the edge while holding down the corner of the sheet beyond said raised portion and then entering a separating wedge in the opening thus presented, while the sheet to be separated is being held from lateral displacement.

9. The process of separating adhering metallic sheets, which consists in preliminarily raising a portion of the sheet within the edge while holding down the corner of the sheet beyond said raised portion and then entering a separating wedge in the opening thus presented, and forcing it beneath the sheet to be separated with its edge extending at an angle to the direction in which the wedge is moved, while the sheet to be separated is being held from lateral displacement.

10. The process of separating adhering metallic sheets, which consists in preliminarily raising a portion of the sheet within the edge while holding down the corner of the sheet beyond said raised portion and then entering a separating wedge in the opening thus presented, and forcing it beneath the sheet to be separated with its edge extending at an angle to the direction in which the wedge is moved, and the portion of the separating wedge extending toward the held down edge of the sheet extending backwardlv so that it encounters and raises said held down portion after the pilot end of the separating wedge has entered beneath the sheets.

11. The process of separating adhering metallic sheets, wl ich consists in preliminarily raising a portion of the sheet within the edge while holding down the corner of the sheet beyond said raised portion and then entering a separating wedge in the opening thus presented, and causing the raising means to continue its holding intine-nee on the sheet until separation is completed and thereby prevent lateral displacement of the sheet.

The foregoing specification signed at New York, N. Y., this 17th day of May, 1910.

\VILLIAM R. KINNEAR.

In presence of two witnesses:

M. L. SULLIVAN, I. M. BLANCIIFIELD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

